Bc's New Rivals?

September 17, 2004|By MATT EAGAN

When UConn jumped to big-time college football, many saw Boston College as its natural rival. The two schools were an hour from each other. They were already rivals, of a sort, in basketball and would be recruiting some of the same players. Alas, defections and lawsuits have gotten in the way. There won't be a BC-UConn game for quite some time, which means both sides have to find a new rival. Here's a look at BC's options:

1 | HOLY CROSS

Boston College likes to have rivals it can beat. The Crusaders, once a tradition on the BC schedule, would need to run Gordie Lockbaum through the cloning machine a few times, but the Eagles can't go a whole decade without playing another New England school. Can they?

This would make sense. Catholic school vs. Catholic school. And another school Boston College has proved adept at beating. The only problem is that this game ranks somewhere below Navy on Notre Dame's list of traditional rivals. The Irish have rivalries with USC and Michigan and don't have room for another.

3 | MARYLAND

Call it the Acela game. Geography always stokes a rivalry and the Terrapins are the closest conference opponent BC will have next season. A game such as this -- with a school that's only several hundred miles away -- is certain to fan the passions of the few Boston sports fans only casually interested in the Red Sox and their perpetual duel with the Yankees.

4 | DUKE

Boston College likes to have rivals it can beat.

5 | MIAMI

Old Big East foes collide. The Hurricanes are still smarting from that loss to Doug Flutie. Hey, it's the back and forth that makes a rivalry great. After all, that's what kept the UConn-BC basketball rivalry fresh.